Of Yagami Light, the Mass Murderer
by Sora Ryuuzaki
Summary: Raito has changed, but what happens as he starts over? Does L accept this new Raito or does he stubbornly stick to his Kira ideas? Eventual LxLight; done in first person. Vote has ended; starting from chapter 20 it will be AU.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue – Meet Yagami Light

I knew. I always knew it would come to this.

On the outside, I was a mass murderer ready to implement his greatest plan to cut down his greatest enemy.

On the inside, I was a person, acting on instinct, based on personal needs.

In general, I am a selfish person who is ready to turn my wants into reality.

Yagami Raito, or Light, however you choose. Alias: Kira, the mass murderer responsible for the deaths of criminals worldwide.

I am the sole God of this new world.

And he…. He is the only object large enough to call an obstacle for more than one reason.

His name is L. Aliases: Too many to count. I have a right to believe he has over fifty.

But he is my enemy.

Had we met under other circumstances, I'm sure we would have fallen in love; we're that compatible.

But we didn't.

We met as a mass murderer… and his pursuer. A cat and mouse game.

But now… I am going to that "had we met" into "we did meet."

Yes, I am temporarily removing my memory, and possession, of both Death Notes. I will then see if that part about love was true…

If it is, then it will surely be destroyed after I assume my position as God… after L's death. If it is, then I will surely be hurt… after L's death. If it is, then my plan will work with more effort due to my losses… after L's death.

It seems all of these consequences occur… after L's death.

"Light," Ryuk disrupted my thinking. "What are you planning?"

End Chapter One

Chapter One – Meet the New Yagami Light

My name is Yagami Light. Occupation: College student under suspicion of being a mass murderer. Of course, I'm not… At least, I don't think so.

I woke up in my jail cell, wondering what the hell happened. I blanked out for a second before realizing everything I had done. What the hell is up with me? I questioned myself for a few seconds before glaring up into the camera above me, knowing full and well that L, Ryuuzaki, my captor, was watching. "This is pointless!" I said, fear and worry in my voice.

"You requested this, Raito-kun," L replied.

"I know," I pleaded, "but this is wasting time! We both know that _I'm not Kira!"_

L must have been puzzled, for he hesitated for the slightest moment before speaking again. I don't remember him ever hesitating before. Just right before I requested my capture. Once again, what the hell was I thinking???

After an endless count of days, L finally let me go. I think he was satisfied with my performance when my dad faked that performance. I think that was extremely reckless. Why would L think that Kira would kill his own father to save himself? …Well, actually, I could see why, but that doesn't give him the right to test me if I would kill my own father! My own family!

I was really relieved to hear that he was going to let me go. That was, of course, before the _clack_ of the handcuffs ruined my shining joy. Now I was stuck with an insomniac detective. 24/7; no breaking it off unless it's to change my shirt. I had a feeling that it would be a long time until I got my chains off.

I'm actually impressed to see that he can handle himself well in a fight. Moments earlier, we had gotten into a fistfight. My cheek still hurt from that blow to the face he gave me. The bastard. But that means that he doesn't trust me. I wonder why? He cleared me of suspicion for being Kira; isn't that enough reason to trust me? Sure, he called me his first friend, but that just means he's unsocial.

I sighed, the breath being long and drawn-out. I glanced at the man next to me, trying to guess if he was still sore from that punch I gave him. He was good company… if you could actually get him to talk to you. Then again, I haven't tried yet, so maybe I should.

"Hey, Ryuuzaki," I asked casually, returning to my screen.

Just a grunt of acknowledgement.

Considering that a cue to continue, I cleared my throat and kept talking. "So why do you think I am, or was, Kira?"

The detective glared at me for a bit, or so it seemed from out of the corner of my eye, before returning to his own screen and replying. "Because you are childish, as Kira himself proved by killing Lind L. Taylor on national television. Because you are smart, as Kira is, smart enough to avoid my capture for so long. You are also liable to become as angry as Kira has gotten so far, according to my inferences. Should I continue?"

Startled by his (almost) immediate response, I replied awkwardly, "No, that's quite alright…" before continuing my research.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – On the Insomniac Detective 

Oh my God… I swear, if Ryuuzaki eats another one of those chocolate candy things, I'm going to barf. He's scarfed down so many of them… doesn't he get sick? I'm getting sick just listening to him! I dropped the idea of watching the man after I threw up the _first_ time. Desperately, I scanned the room for anything that would serve my purpose of plugging my ears.

There—right there! On the counter! There was a bag of cotton balls! Yes, that would work perfectly. I stood up to walk over and get it. The chain went taut and I was jerked back towards the scrawny detective.

He glanced at me, then turned back to the computer screen. "If Raito-kun wants something to eat, he can have some of my cake," he offered halfheartedly.

I turned my head, putting it in one hand and waving no with the other. "That's… quite all right, I just needed to stretch out a cramp in my legs," I said, returning to my seat. Well, that's a lost cause.

I sighed, leaning back in my seat. So far the search for Kira had turned up nothing. I glanced at the detective, trying to see if he had gotten a hint. If he did, I'd have to work harder—I don't want to lose. I don't like to lose, either.

I noticed his figure for the first time. His hair was a haphazard bird's nest. That's probably the best way to describe it. His posture was as sloppy as his hair was messy. The detective's sitting style was unique: he brought his feet up onto the chair and drew his knees to his chest while hunching over. Those onyx eyes were surrounded by deep pools of black. Probably from lack of sleeping. I'll break him of that habit. The white shirt L was wearing was smeared with bits of cream or coffee or some other sweet or pastry he had been eating. Of course, he'd change it… right? It's still my first day and I'm dreading this.

Ryuuzaki must have noticed my staring. "Raito-kun, it would be best if we continued the search, not stared at each other pointlessly."

"Ah. Of course, sorry, Ryuuzaki. I've just been a bit… distracted lately."

Oh God, is it just me, or are you choosing to torture me today? Two people stared at the bathroom door.

One was me. A very panicked me. Excuse my grammar; I'm a bit… unnerved today.

The other was L. Calm as ever, he stood, waiting for a response so he could continue with the shower.

Obviously annoyed by my lack of response, he cut in.

"Raito-kun, let's get started," he said, extracting a key from Watari, whose presence I had not noticed. Promptly, the detective unlatched me and allowed me only enough time to take off my shirt. Then, after following suit, he led me into the bathroom. There were two stalls separated by a murky-glassed wall, but clear enough to be able to discern the motions going on the other side. There was a cut going through the entire wall, just for our chain. I relaxed as I took off my pants and stepped into the shower.

L glanced at me and chuckled.

"It looks like right now, I beat Raito-kun in everything."

* * *

I got this idea from another fanfic. Sorry; you know who you are… I hope (Showers) title of fanfic 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – Attraction?

Yes, you LxLight fangirls (myself included ;D), it is time for the first signs of attraction. :D

* * *

"Light" Misa called. Oh jeez, this is going to get messy really quick…

"Light, Misa wants to go on a date," the girl chirped happily.

I sighed, pretending to be a boyfriend who wished to go, but was obliged to stay. "I'm chained to Ryuuzaki, remember?" I held up the hand with the chain attached, the other pointing to the unusual detective.

I think Ryuuzaki has a grudge against me for not being Kira or something, because he probably said this just to make me mad: "I don't mind. I'll come with you."

I glared at the detective. How could he do that to me?! Now I had no excuse NOT to go on that date with Misa… oh, the torture. Desperate to keep her happy (for some reason, I feel as if she's an asset, though I hate her bubbly attitude), I smiled, playing the perfect boyfriend.

"Thanks, Ryuuzaki," I said with a hint of sarcasm I'm sure he heard.

He looked at me with an expression in his eyes. I saw it as satisfaction. The satisfaction of dealing pain. To me. L turned to Misa. "Go get ready. We'll be waiting right here."

The girl skipped away, humming contentedly.

I snapped my head to the left, where L was. I noticed for a split second that his face was startlingly close—only a few inches away from mine. I pushed the thought aside and glared into his dark, black eyes. Though I couldn't read anything, I was sure, absolutely sure, that he was laughing his damn ass off inside. He pulled back turning away from me. I noticed my heart was beating irregularly, but brushed it away. Instead, I listened to what the detective had to say.

"So, where is Raito-kun and Misa-Misa going for their date?" He inquired.

My eyes bore into his back, disgusted. Now I knew for sure he was laughing his ass off; the fact that he turned his back to me is proof! He got me into this, so he's going to have to suffer with me! I paused to think for a minute, trying to find out what his weakness was so that we could base the date on that. I thought hard for that one minute, probably the hardest I've analyzed something in a short amount of time. Finally, I had to decide on one thing: the amusement park.

When I told the detective that, he raised an eyebrow questioningly. Well, maybe he did, I couldn't tell. But he shrugged, and sat down. Or, well, tried to, but couldn't due to the chain connecting us. He had tried to breach its five-foot limit, and thus, couldn't sit down without extending his arm. I tried to stifle my laughter, for he seemed like a little kid in time out, the way he was sitting with his back hunched. Could he be sad that we're not going to a sweets shop?

"Light(insert heart here)," Misa called, tackling me over.

What sounded like a yelp of surprise was actually a groan of disgust. But then again, the distortion of my voice caused by Misa's hitting me can do wonders. I don't think she noticed. The idiot girl was prancing around, spinning while shouting, "I'm going on a date with Light!", then pausing to grumpily add, "And Ryuuzaki."

I sighed, stood up, and walked over to Misa (after getting Ryuuzaki to stand, of course). Smiling (through gritted teeth, I reminded myself), I placed my had on Misa's shoulder. She quieted immediately, sensing that I wanted to talk to her. She turned to me, her hair hitting my arm.

"We're going to Tokyo Disneyland today," I said.

I swear, I could feel the calm anger directed towards me from Ryuuzaki as I stated the amusement park of my choice. Not only was it a Disneyland, but today was a weekend, thus being that the park would be more crowded than ever. I smiled genuinely this time.

"Let's go, Misa, Ryuuzaki."

The park was, to put it mildly, huge. If I wasn't astounded by the size and amount of people that bustled through, I probably could have thought of a better synonym to describe it, but unfortunately I couldn't (AN: Sorry, that's my fault, Light xD). Okay, so maybe it's Sora's fault because she's writing this. But whatever; it was ginormous (AN: Word is courtesy of my best friend.).

So there we were: Three people. One, an idol in disguise, prancing happily around the other two. Another, a pale-skinned, poor-postured man who looked poor. Then there was me. Of course, the handcuffs were probably another reason why people were staring at us.

I smiled to myself as I heard Ryuuzaki sigh. Obviously, this was going to be a long day for the both of us. But at least someone was suffering with me.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – The Date 

I could barely contain my laughter as people continued to stare. Of course, Misa didn't notice; I don't think she minded the attention at all. Ryuuzaki, however, was the main item that deserved laughter. As people watched him, he would glare, and they would turn their heads, as if scared. But I could always see those same heads sneaking another glance at the odd trio. Immediately I knew this was the best choice I could have asked for.

Misa was being a bitch, to put it bluntly. No, not the slang definition meaning… well, if you're a teenager you probably know. I'm refraining from saying the definition in case we have rule breakers here who are under the "teen" age. I mean literally, a bitch, a female dog. She was wearing a pair of puppy ears and running around, barking at people. This brought more attention to us, and Ryuuzaki proceeded to deliver more glares. We decided to go on a roller coaster and waited several minutes in line before reaching the actual ride.

So then there was the argument of who would sit with who.

Misa, of course, wanted to sit with me, but I protested, saying that Ryuuzaki and I were chained and that he wouldn't have brought the key. But, again, to my horror, he whipped out the key and unchained me. The detective then pushed me into the seat with Misa, saying something about chaining me again afterwards. So for five minutes, I sat next to a clingy teenage girl. What fun. What made it even more "enjoyable" was the fact that she was screaming her ass off (in my ear, may I point out), and that Ryuuzaki in front of us held his arms up in the air in mock enthusiasm, the handcuffs flying behind him and whacking me in the face. Oh, he'd get it when we got back to the building.

Afterwards, we stood and Ryuuzaki calmly but efficiently snapped the handcuffs back on. From the unnerved stares I saw from the corner of my eyes, I could probably guess what was happening. "Wtf? Is that hunchback like, a detective or something? And why's he chained to that tall (or hot, if they were female or gay) dude?" I really did my best to keep my face calm as always. And I think I did.

But anyway, we were going around on rides in the same manner: Ryuuzaki would let me off if it was a roller coaster so I could sit in front of Misa, then sat in front of us so that I would be knocked senseless by those stupid handcuffs. He'd _definitely_ get it back at the building.

Late in the afternoon, after I had figured out that I could escape the handcuffs by simply wrapping the chain around Ryuuzaki's seat (why I couldn't figure that earlier was probably due to the brain damage said handcuffs had caused my intellect), Misa had started complaining that she was hungry.

"Yes, Raito-kun," Ryuuzaki agreed. "Let's go eat."

Oh, no. Oh, no way in HELL was I taking him out to eat. He was going to get his sweets, and he'd be enjoying the moment while I suffered! So instead, I said this:

"Misa, let's go eat later, okay? We'll eat back at the building. But for now, let's go on some more rides together," I said, turning my head suggestively to the ferris wheel. Way too easy. Now Ryuuzaki wouldn't have his precious sweets, and to hell with _his_ needs; it's his fault he decided to let me go on this date and he'd regret it.

So now, we're in line for the ferris wheel. The sun is beginning to set.

Misa is chattering as usual. Ryuuzaki is giving out subtle glares as usual. I'm sitting here just being me, as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then I felt a chill down my spine. Or actually, through my arm. I had a feeling that Ryuuzaki was sending me bad vibes (excuse my hippie-ness) through the handcuffs. I glanced at him to see him motioning towards me. I leaned over slightly so I was in earshot.

"Why does Raito-kun insist on torturing me today?" He hissed in my ear.

I smiled lightly, as if laughing about a joke. "Well, didn't you agree to the date? I'm merely making plans." I switched to an act of surprise and worry. "Does the setting disturb you?" I challenged.

It seems he heard the hidden challenge. If you couldn't perceive the message, I was daring him to go the whole day in crowds and without sweets. And, to my enjoyment, he agreed. It took everything I could to not laugh.

I had a feeling the rest of today wouldn't be as long as I thought.

* * *

Whoo. There you go. : I personally like this chapter. Especially Raito's being knocked senseless by the handcuffs. I swear, that was genius of me... x Anyway, if you like, please review or something. Just let me know! If you don't, this story shall meet the same fate as my first one... DEAD :) Just kidding. This is too fun to write! It's like being a genius:D 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five – The Challenge Dissipates

Right now, I'm feeling pretty good about myself. Not that I don't otherwise; I just feel better right now than usual. Somehow, the challenge to which Ryuuzaki had accepted (he hated losing; I had bet on that fact to make him agree) made me feel superior: there was no way he would last the day. So far, I hadn't seen him go an hour without cake or sweets. Well, up until today, at least.

So when he passed the third cart that harbored sweets, my confidence and inside smirk had vanished. Ryuuzaki hadn't even glanced at it. Huh. So the man_does _have restrictions on himself. Looks like I'm going to lose… or am I?

"Misa," I said, plan forming in my head. "Do you want some sweets? I'll pay," I offered.

I swear I saw antennae of some sort poke up from Ryuuzaki's head next to me. To the naked eye, it seemed as if the man did not care for sweets, but I could tell he was longing for it. I was going to make him break.

Misa grinned broadly before clinging to my arm and squealing, "Yes!" as if I had asked her to marry me (fat chance of that ever happening.).

We walked over to the cart. Misa pranced happily around, deciding on what she wanted while I kept an eye on Ryuuzaki. Not that was hard, but it was a bit challenging due to Misa's dancing. I saw his thumb go up to his lips, a common gesture for this strange man. That was a good sign; a good sign indeed. He was going to break soon unless his will to win is as great as I assume it to be.

My "girlfriend" came back to me, arms full of sweets. "Misa wants these!" she chirped happily. She had a bunch of candy and sweets: lollipops, M&M's, stuff of the like. I could almost see the longing in Ryuuzaki's eyes. Almost. It wasn't quite there yet, but I'd make it so.

Pretending to be the nice guy for Misa, who was oblivious to the entire situation, I offered to buy some for Ryuuzaki, too.

The detective glared at me for a moment—a _very_ brief moment. Then he returned his gaze to the candy and muttered, "No thank you, Raito-kun. I am just fine without sweets."

Both Misa and I gaped. I didn't visibly, of course; such an action would make me seem like a bad person. But instead, I smiled weakly and replied, "Oh, okay then. Just tell me when you want some," I said, my voice turning into a snarl of some sort towards the end of the second sentence.

Ryuuzaki paused again. "Raito-kun, the percentage of you being Kira has raised by 6. Surely Kira would want me to suffer as you are doing now." He turned away, but still remained close due to the chains.

_Now_ I gaped visibly, my beautiful features probably screwed by this ghastly display of shock. "Oh, no he didn't!" Misa cried. "Raito can't be Kira!!"

By this time the onlookers who had finally returned their attention to other things snapped their heads back at us. Whispers of, "Kira?" came up everywhere.

I groaned. "Let's all go back now." Tugging at the chain, the three of us left. I walked quickly and hastily, occasionally stopping to violently yank the chain that held Ryuuzaki and me together. The damned man wouldn't hurry up!!

I probably seemed pretty mad, for Misa jogged up to me with a desperate look on her face. "Did Misa do something wrong?"

Releasing a slow breath, I smiled. "No, Misa, you didn't do anything wrong." I could see the stress instantly dispel from her face. She yipped happily as she floated around us.

We passed by a bathroom, and, seeing my chance to talk to Ryuuzaki in private, told Misa to wait while we went into the bathroom. Upon entering, I punched the detective in the face, not even waiting for him to step inside. The men who were already in there exchanged anxious looks.

"Damn it, Ryuuzaki," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Why the hell did you say that out loud?! And in front of Misa, especially!"

An accomplished smirk appeared on his face, despite the growing bruise. "You didn't want your girlfriend to hear that you're a mass murderer?"

The men hurriedly finished their business and left, pushing us aside. I suppose they didn't want to tangle with a mass murderer. Which, of course, I am not.

I punched him again, which he easily blocked. He grabbed my arm, and, using an Ai Ki Do form, flipped me. Luckily, I had learned enough to realize the form and performed a (completely perfect) backroll. "Bastard," I spat out between gritted teeth. He charged at me again.

Our fight was (interestingly enough) interrupted by an extremely obese woman. She walked in, obviously blind to the sign outside that read, "Men." She glared at us for a few seconds, then, realizing she was in the wrong bathroom. Her fat jiggled disgustingly against the wall as she muttered in English, "Sorry, dudes. Go do your business somewhere else."

I looked at where we were. He (I refuse, at this current moment while I remember this day, to call him by his alias, for I am still mad at him, but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about) was leaning on top of me. I was pinned down to the ground, and could easily assume what the obese woman had thought. We were, of course, in a _very_ compromising position.

I kneed him in the stomach, but it didn't seem like he noticed. He stood up, ignored the fine layer of dirt on him, and glared at me as if to say, "Hurry up. We're wasting time." Obviously, he still wanted his cake. I got up and, in a futile attempt, brushed as much of the grime on my outfit as best as I could. I then followed him out the door.

Damn. Now I can't rub my victory in his face.

* * *

Whoo. Today's my birthday :D (I'm officially allowed to read those teen-rated books that I read anyway! xD) So yeah, I thought I'd be nice to you all and update ; So make sure to tell me if you like the story, or if you have any idea where this plot is going. Seriously. I'm still not sure where this is going x Any guesses may be used in my story, if they're good enough...

Phrum zeh behzdey gehl, (or, "from the birthday girl")

Sora Ryuuzaki :


	6. Chapter 6

I've noticed I never put up a disclaimer for this yet. So here's one:

I sat down, reading my Death Note manga. "Man, it feels GOOD to own Death Note."

Raito punched me viciously across the face. "What do you mean, 'to own'? You're lucky you even own a computer, you lazy ass!"

I sobbed exaggeratively. "So I don't own Death Note. I can still dream, can't I?"

* * *

Chapter Six – Raito and L (and Yotsuba, too)

I'm bored. That pretty much sums up my life about now. I leaned back in my seat, rubbing the glare out of my eyes. Ryuuzaki glanced at me without turning his head, his dark eyes fixed on me for a moment before he responded.

"Raito-kun, it would be for the better part of our investigation if you would work," he said. Heads turned at the sound of his unexpected voice.

Keeping my voice level as I could, for I guessed he was still angry about Misa's date, I retorted jokingly, "I know, it's just a bit hard on my eyes."

My father came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, expecting to see a weary face. There it was, but there was another emotion glimmering in those eyes. Pride is what I saw, but then again, people only see what they want to see. "I know it must be hard being chained to Ryuuzaki and not getting enough sleep, but we just want you to know that things would be going much slower without you."

Inspired, I began to work faster. Lists of recent Kira killings scrolled past my eyes: several bankers and such. I started using my genius brain to crack the current conundrum. I think I may have noticed Ryuuzaki's glancing; I'm not sure. It was probably just my imagination.

I thought about one banker in particular. What effect did his death have on other companies? Well, he was a significant part in a certain company's growth, and after that, Yotsuba company began to… Wait, what? I glanced at all the other people, thinking, discovering… Knowledge dawned on my face, the knowledge of the pattern.

"I found it!" I cried, leaning in closer to the screen. "I found the connection between the victims!"

* * *

That night was extremely restless. For finding the connection, Ryuuzaki had allowed me four _and a half_ hours of sleep, rather than just plain four.

"What generosity you offer," I had said, my voice drowning in sarcasm.

The detective had said naught but offered me a small grin, or a smirk. Either one would have fit; I'm not sure what his smile looks like.

My body was limp and tired of sitting, but was glad for the rest. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing to relax. Eventually, I began to fall asleep, an action I was glad for. If I didn't get my four (and a half) hours of sleep tonight, I probably would become an insomniac like Ryuuzaki, which would never happen as long as I was sane.

Half asleep and drowsy, I wasn't sure if it was a dream when heard Ryuuzaki sit up. I was questioning my consciousness even more, when, after a few minutes of gazing at my face intently with an emotion foreign to his face, bent over and kissed my cheek tenderly. I was in shock too, wondering if it was a dream or not when he laid back again.

Did I want that? The question occurred to me in my sleep. Did I like the kiss? Why didn't I jolt up and just punch the guy? Possible solutions ran through my mind like the list of victims had sped in front of my eyes. Then the only realistic one (if you could call it one; I hardly believe this situation either) hit me in the head and practically killed me at the thought of it. I think being killed by Kira (who, by the way, I am absolutely sure I'm not) would have been a more desirable situation.

I liked Ryuuzaki.

That seemed like the only one that fit all the questions. If I wanted it, then I liked Ryuuzaki. If I liked the kiss, even if it was just one on the cheek, then I liked Ryuuzaki. If I didn't jolt up and punch him, then I probably liked Ryuuzaki.

I hate it when sentences end up with the same monotonous endings.

I woke up the next morning to a splash of cold water on my face. Startled by this unexpected intrusion to my slumber, I subconsciously lashed out, my legs flailing. A voice laughed, quite unusual for this person.

"It seems I have invaded a forbidden sanctuary of Raito-kun's," Ryuuzaki said with humor in his voice. "But enough of that. Let's go investigate; I believe we may catch Kira soon enough." The man tugged viciously at the chains.

It took me a few moments for me to wake up despite the water. I sat up glumly and glanced at the clock.

_4:20. _Only three hours and forty minutes of my promised sleep time, since we had slept since 1:40. That is, if my half-awake mind was enough to process information enough.

"Ryuuzaki," I groaned, flopping back onto my pillow, exhausted. "It's only been three hours and forty minutes! I get another fifty minutes of sleep!"

Obviously annoyed at this point, the damn insomniac leaped onto the bed, shaking me vigorously. I turned, yelling at him to stop. Then I remembered my "dream" and my conclusion from last night. I froze, almost immediately, and Ryuuzaki, who was shaking me so viciously, practically tumbled over my waist and toppled onto the floor. My eyes snapped open and I sat up, running my fingers through my hair.

"At least let me shower," I said glumly. I saw Ryuuzaki's black head nod.

He unlocked the chain for a minute while I stripped myself of my shirt. I stepped into the shower first, then removed my pants (something I had learned the hard way), the warm water feeling extremely relaxing. Maybe it would be enough to make up for my lost sleep.

"Hurry up, Raito-kun," Ryuuzaki told me.

"It's not like Kira's going to be caught in ten minutes, Ryuuzaki," I replied.

After about ten minutes, Ryuuzaki was done waiting outside. He stood up and wrenched the plastic shower curtain back, revealing myself. Immediately, on instinct, I turned red, punched him in the face, and yanked the curtain back into its place.

"What was that for??" I called, indignant. I turned off the water, reached for my towel, and changed in record time. When I opened the curtain again, Ryuuzaki was squatting again and rubbing his cheek gingerly. "Sorry about that," I said, turning a bit red at the thought. "It was just so… yeah. Not even a warning."

"I'm sorry," the detective said miserably, as if he regretted saying the words. He glanced up at me hopefully. "Can we work on the case now?"

I moaned. "Fine, fine." What integrity! It's like he thinks Kira will be caught in a few minutes' working time! But then again, that's one of the things that I like the most about him.

* * *

Yeah. I update fast. LIKE A NINJA : (This is just so that I don't have to do my history homework ;D) I love all the reviews I've been getting; thank you all so much :


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven – Oh My Goshness, He Knows!

I absolutely refuse to complain. I will not and cannot complain, for that is the same thing as admitting defeat to my bodily requirements. I have been working for forty-eight hours nonstop, hacking into Yotsuba corporation repeatedly to try to figure out when Kira will strike, since Ryuuzaki said it was highly likely that Kira is or was working for Yotsuba. I stretched my arms and yawned, the links of the chain clinking together. That's not a complaint, that's a bodily requirement when your brain is lacking oxygen.

Ryuuzaki glanced at me from across the sofa, his black eyes boring into my skull. His gaze returned to his computer screen. "Is Raito-kun tired?"

It was a question that he asked, not a statement that he said. I replied to be polite and to avoid showing weakness to the detective I had recently discovered feelings for. All the more reason to avoid showing weakness to him. "Ah, no, I'm fine," I said.

"If Raito-kun desires sleep, he may do so on the couch," Ryuuzaki said.

Startled, I stopped my current attempt to hack into Yotsuba. I stuttered, unaware that this was going to happen. I had thought he would keep me awake for another twenty-four hours. "T-thanks, Ryuuzaki." I smiled. "Really, thank you."

For the next couple of minutes, I shuffled around for a pillow, but couldn't reach one. The nearest pillow was about six feet away, near the sink. The chain only reached four feet. I cursed silently, but instead I sat down on the couch next to Ryuuzaki and closed my eyes, thankful for the sleep.

The next time I woke up, I wasn't fully awake. It would be more accurate to say, "when I woke up, I was half dead." It sounds crazy, but I was.

There was something_heavy _on me. It wasn't exactly heavy, per se, but it was more of… unexpected weight. I opened my eyes, the view fluttering as I blinked several times. There was a large mass of hair. Black hair, like a bird's nest, that was on my chest.

Slowly, the details registered. Black hair… black hair that was similar to… to…

…To Ryuuzaki's hair.

For a minute I panicked, unable to think clearly, but I calmed down, making sure that my slightly uneven breathing wouldn't awaken the man… if he was awake.

I got up slowly, supporting Ryuuzaki's head gently as I shifted. It was easier said then done, for his whole body was on top of mine in a curled-up ball. I marveled at the weight of it. For such a slim body, he weighed a lot more than he looked. Then again, he also punched harder than most would believe possible. It was probably his muscle that weighed so much.

I set his head down gently after I had removed myself off the sofa. I walked a few steps, intending to go to the restroom, but was cut off when the chain went taut. Ryuuzaki's head shot up, suddenly alert. He noticed the lack of structure underneath him and looked in my direction.

"Where was Raito-kun planning on going?"

I smiled mischievously. "Why were you sleeping on me?"

"Avoiding the question, Raito?"

"I should say the same for you."

After a pause, Ryuuzaki spoke. "Raito-kun…"

I don't know what I expected. I think it was idiotic of me to expect something romantic, but I did anyway.

"… you have drool on your shirt."

I looked down, and, sure enough, there was a pool of wetness on my chest where Ryuuzaki had slept. "I wonder whose fault that is," I retorted, scowling.

I picked up my laptop and tried hacking into Yotsuba again, knowing that it was useless because my attention was diverted. Ryuuzaki didn't follow suit, though. Instead, he sat next to me, watching. I tried not to be bothered, I really did, but his breath on my neck was just too much.

"Raito-kun," Ryuuzaki whispered.

I turned slowly, unsure of what to expect. This is where I got my romantic expectation. Ryuuzaki took my cheeks and closed the distance between us (I believe it was three inches). He kissed me passionately, his breath mingling with my own. He broke away when I was the most startled. I stared at him with wide eyes. He just—did he--??

What the _fuck_ just happened???

* * *

Haha. First time I ever used a cuss word worse than "hell," to my knowledge... : Haha. I'm sorry, I actually intended for this to happen a bit later, but that's getting too close to the end of Higuchi... :S That sucked. So I decided to stick it right here. 

Also, if you have time, and I mean lots of time, read my newest chaptered story, Death Note: A New Case :D It's after the whole series and everything, so... yeah. : Thanks in advance for reviewing, and thanks for reading!

Sora :3


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight – After the Smoocheh :D

Did you know?

It's _very_ hard to ignore someone you're chained to. Especially if it's a guy. Not just any guy, mind you, but the very same guy who kissed you after telling you that you had drool all over your shirt (by, once again, that very same guy).

It gets even harder if you're in love with him.

Please excuse this chapter, as it is an entry that is trying to decipher my current frustration and to try to convince myself of something besides the fact that Ryuuzaki kissed me because he was in love with me.

A kiss is probably the same thing as a confession, but a confession is something that is said. A kiss could just be done because your body _wants_ it.

…

But then why would your body want it in the first place…?

Physical attraction, Raito… Physical attraction….

But… if it's physical attraction, with L, it would have had to start with….

Attraction.

Oh, God, Raito! Stop fooling yourself; L wouldn't bother with romance! He's too big of an insomniac to bother with romance, or any sort of feeling! He has better things to do than control his emotions for every second of the day!

…

But wouldn't that be another reason why he…

Oh. Goddamn it.

I attempted to throw the nearest thing to me as far as I could. Funny thing is, L was the nearest thing to me. I was pacing the ground behind him as best as I could with my five feet limit. I picked him up unintentionally, grabbing his waist and pulling up, startling the detective. Surprised, I dropped him.

He seemed unfazed as he stood up himself. "I'm amazed that Raito-kun has that kind of attraction for me. Flattered, really."

I could feel rage building up inside me. I didn't care if it would raise my percentage anymore. I hit him with all my strength. Not a smart thing to do, especially if you're chained to the person you're hitting with all your strength. I cried out as I was yanked toward the detective.

We toppled over each other, limbs going in all directions.

The crew turned to stare at us. My father seemed the most appalled. I looked and, of course, Ryuuzaki was on top of me. In a compromising position, again.

Sometimes I wonder if God, if He truly exists, is damning me to hell for something I didn't do, because the looks on my father's and his coworkers' faces, as well as Ryuuzaki's, was enough to make me break something.

….

Can that something be Ryuuzaki?

* * *

Sorry, this one was a filler-ish type of thing... I'm being so hypocritical. I hate reading/writing fillers, yet here I am, posting this one up! It's actually not a filler, no matter how close it is to being so... it's classified as an ACTUAL CHAPTER. xD Know why? I suppose not; I think only I know why. No, it's not because I say so. Stop guessing. :P It's because it's explaining Raito's feelings at the moment. I'll do a couple other chapters or so in a similar matter so that his emotions are laid out so you can see them. I hate unclarified stories that just jump to the plot without any background as to where the characters stand, and it kinda ruins the story. So this is kinda necessary if you want to be able to understand the plot. Thanks for reading (and reviewing:D)!

Sora :


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine –

I hacked, not for the first time, successfully into the cameras of Yotsuba corp.'s system. I probably could have done it again earlier, had it not been for the distraction that Ryuuzaki so greatfully (and unknowingly) caused me after… that….. incident… that shall not be named.

Today, I was in a particularly bad mood, for it had dawned on me (very belatedly, to my shame) that when my father came back saying Kira was bribing the government to stop working with L, he meant it. In accepting to continue the investigation with L, that meant losing their jobs. For everyone else except Ryuuzaki and I, of course. This meant that we lost the support of the police, as well as Aizawa.

Thus, we are left short-handed, and I am left irritated.

"We lost another one," Matsuda groaned. "This building is so large and empty… No offense, Mogi, but you don't talk much."

Schooling my features as expertly as a con artist, I found another killing by the third Kira. "September 10."

"September 10th. That's a Friday, too." My father's sudden interruption caught Ryuuzaki's and my attention. "We overlooked a very simple point."

My father explained that while he was reviewing the research, he noticed that most of the beneficial deaths took place during weekends.

After receiving a phone call from Misa, reminding him about her photo shoot, Matsuda excused himself and left.

Apparently, Ryuuzaki has lots of contacts. When he told Watari, "Can you summon Aber and Weddy?", I thought he was joking.

If they were recruits to the Kira case and Ryuuzaki was going to let them see his face, they must be respectful. The image was shattered once I met them.

Aber looked like a white businessman, off on his lunch break or something. He introduced himself as a con artist.

Weddy looked like a stereotypical Hollywood star: glamorous. When she said she was a professional burglar, I thought she was joking.

Both of them seemed highly unintelligent, and more importantly, likely to commit crimes. I thought L would have stuck to legal people. But then again, since he thought to bug my room, I decided he had no stops.

Ryuuzaki continued to explain his choice of accomplices as I was slowly persuaded that yes, these people would enhance our reach.

"I guess with Yotsuba against us, people like them can be a great help. Let's work on this together!" Wow, that came out incredibly… optimistic. I never knew I could be that cheery and not get sick.

I had a strange premonition that everything was about to change.

* * *

This lazy person has finally decided to update. And yes, I have been using some dialogue from the manga. It was kinda necessary for those who haven't read lately to see where it is at the moment. As in, where it is in the plot. I figured, if I was lost, some other people would be, too. The insight about Weddy and Aiber, though, are my creations as deducted by Light.

Sorry for the lack of updates! I will get it done! -clenches fist in triumph- But in the meantime, read my other story, Death Note: A New Case :D (Haha, I feel like a subliminal messager :D) And while you're at it, check out Chainsaw Mafia (u/1393471/)'s Bleach story, "Ariel Ain't Got Nothin' On This." It's pretty good : (For those of you who are wondering, it's AU; IchixRuki)

Mucho gracias for reviews; I will reply if I"m not in a hurry. : I will love you if you do :D

Sora


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I think this chapter and maybe the next will just be review of the plot line, you know, so that everyone understands what's going on with Yotsuba and everything at this time. I was going to put more of Light's opinions, but the manga covered that for me... :S I'm sorry. I really am. I want to get to the fun part, but I have to get through the day first. And that will take time. T T Please bear with me, now... there's quite a few more chapters to go :D

* * *

Chapter Ten – Catching Up with Yotsuba

Matsuda and Misa left for a movie shoot. Of course, being Misa, it didn't go quite smoothly.

"Matsu!" She cried, her high-pitched whine grating my ears. I willed myself not to think about flinching. "Why didn't you hurry up?"

"Sorry, Misamisa," Matsuda said, panicking as he left. "Bye, Ryuuzaki, Raito-kun!" he called as the two rushed out the door.

The next fifteen minutes were filled with a silence only disturbed by the sound of Ryuuzaki's fork hitting his plate as he (continued to) devour sweets. I began to analyze my thoughts.

Okay… So on the day that I went to that theme park with Yuri, Osoreda Saichiro, a criminal who had robbed a bank the day before, hijacked our bus and caused a riot with a pistol. In the end, he jumped out of the bus and was killed by an oncoming car. If Kira can really kill people in other ways….

Well, at the time, there was an FBI investigator named Raye Penber on the bus. The theory, which is, by manipulating Osoreda, Raye's name was revealed, rings true. As for his fiancée, Misora Naomi, who is currently missing…

I know I met her once. I can't recall any details, but I remember talking about the Kira investigation. She also said that Kira could kill in other ways besides heart attacks, or something like that.

Wait. If I knew about that, then why didn't I focus on it until now? Is it because I didn't believe her? No, I don't think so. Penber and Misora are people I should have paid attention, but now they're gone.

Well, if I knew this, then wouldn't the only logical explanation for their deaths would be…

No, there's no way. Is there?

If I was given Kira's power, the power to kill people using only a name and a face what would I do? Would I parade around, doing what Kira's doing this very instant? It's true that I think some people don't deserve to exist, but I wouldn't think so far as to try to change the world by turning into a murderer and conquering evil… would I?

I sighed softly and through a long, drawn-out breath. I'm obviously thinking too much. I can't possibly be Kira. There's absolutely no way that I could have done something like that and not remember doing it.

As for Penber and Misora, there's no need to tell Ryuuzaki about them. It would overcomplicate things. I should be focusing on capturing Kira.

"Yagami-kun," Ryuuzaki said, breaking my train of thought. "What is wrong? You have such a serious face."

I smiled, turning back to the screen. "No, I'm just a little tired. I've managed to hack into Yotsuba's main computer, but I don't see anything Kira-related. Then again, it would be stupid to leave evidence on their computer."

Ryuuzaki leaned awkwardly in front of me. Startled, I leaned back, allowing the man room. I could smell his hair, which was scented like strawberries from his children's shampoo. I brushed the thought away.

"That's incredible. With this kind of hacking ability, I'm sure that you could hack into police computers as well."

I grimaced ever so slightly. While it is true that I've been hacking into my father's computer to keep track of the case, it was for me to think about Kira in my own way. That does not mean that I'm Kira! "You're still saying things like that, Ryuuzaki? It's your own choice to continue to be suspicious of me, but stay focused on the present."

Ryuuzaki nodded. "That is true. There is no doubt that the only way to solve this investigation is to capture Kira."

"Ryuuzak!" Watari's voice called from over the computer speakers.

Ryuuzaki's attention was on the screen. "What is it, Watari?"

"There was a message for the detective Erald Coil that said, 'I want you to tell me who L really is.' The message was passed through two agents and crafted so that the source could not be found, but it was determined that it came from Kida Masahiko, the head of the planning department of Yotsuba Group's Tokyo Main Office. 100,000 up front and another 140,000 after success."

Huh. They practically screamed, "We're Kira!" What idiots.

"Thank you for investigating that, Watari."

Mogi and my father crowded around, surprised. "So it is Yotsuba!" They exclaimed.

Well, no duh. But Erald Coil is a famous detective, right? Wouldn't Ryuuzaki's identity be in danger? My father, apparently, was thinking along the same lines.

"Erald Coil is the supposedly famous detective who is second only to L. It is well known that his services can be bought, be his also extremely reliable at finding people…" My father's voice trailed off, leaving concern in the air.

I nodded. "For Yotsuba to have connections to Kira and wanting to find the true identity of L means that they probably mean to kill L as soon as they know who he is."

"This is bad. We're already understaffed and now we have to watch out for Coil… It's bad enough that Coil has kept himself hidde--"

Ryuuzaki cut my father off.

"There is no problem," he said simply, giving us a passing glance. "The detective known as Erald Coil is myself."

Thankfully, my dad was doing all the emotion-expressing today.

"What?! Ryuuzaki, you're Coil?" My father exclaimed, shocked.

As if it were the most obvious fact in the world, Ryuuzaki replied. "The three big detectives in the world known as L, Coil, and Danuve are all me. Please keep it a secret." I could see the devious glint in his dark eyes. I felt attracted to them, so I returned to the screen, not wanting to be distracted. Ryuuzaki continued. "Anyone who tries to find me will have a problem. Since anything for Coil or Danuve comes to Watari, it's all obvious from here."

"That's impressive, Ryuuzaki," I said, genuine awe in my voice.

I turned to the screen again, searching the data for the person who requested the information. "Kida Masahiko. He's in the company's employee listing."

My father spoke. "Even in a large company like Yotsuba, the planning department head is a position where one deals with over 150,000,000 worth of money. Is he Kira?"

I could tell my opinion was the same as Ryuuzaki's, so I answered for him. "I don't think so."

"Really?" My father continued. "If he's Kira, then he has all the money that he needs, no, even the fact that he's Kira would mean that he could just take the money from Yotsuba, right?"

I cast a quick glance at Ryuuzaki, who had been silent for about a minute or so, before speaking. "That would mean that Kira raised Yotsuba's stocks and got money out of it. As Father said, there are many ways to get money. If desperate, all he would have to do would be to tell the C.E.O. of Yotsuba, 'Give me money or I'll kill you.'"

Ryuuzaki spoke, his low bass voice echoing in the near-empty room. "That is true. Just because he was the one to send the message doesn't mean that Kida is Kira. Now that we've come this far, I think it's okay for Weddy and Aber to start moving."

I grinned slightly. Now that we've come this far, I think it's safe to assume that I won't be distracted by this ridiculous attraction to Ryuuzaki.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 (the real one) - Damn it, Matsuda

"Now, just so we're all sure, I will go over the plan from here on out," Ryuuzaki said after Weddy and Aber concluded their analysis on how difficult it should be to get close to Yotsuba. "Our opponent is Yotsuba, but it is also Kira. We can conclude that Yotsuba and Kira are connected from the fact that there have been deaths which are good for Yotsuba's business interests, the fact that there are people who have died of heart attacks out of those deaths, and the fact that they are looking for me through another detective. Kira's power is not limited to one person, but if we keep searching through Yotsuba's inner circle then we can eventually get to it.

So first, we must determine without a doubt how many and which persons have Kira's power."

I continued to watch Ryuuzaki, the picture of silence.

"If you view this power as one that can kill people as long as the name and face are known, then this mission is extremely hazardous, and life-risking. Also, it is highly likely that this power can be transferred from person to person. Therefore, we cannot let anyone from Yotsuba know that we are investigating them from the shadows. Please remember that, if we are caught, then the chances of finding Kira go straight to zero. We should investigate carefully so as not to be found out."

A jolt of worry crossed my face. The only one who was capable of ruining our plan right now was Matsuda. But he was watching Misa, wasn't he?

"Moreover," Ryuuzaki continued. "We must catch the person in such a way that we have concrete proof of the person having the power and proof of them killing people. And, from now on," Ryuuzaki concluded with finality, "Don't move on your own or deviate from the plan."

I let out a calm breath. I just hope that somehow, Matsuda would hear that last statement and stay with Misa. Knowing him, he'd probably do something so rash; our entire situation could fall to pieces.

"In order to escape notice," Ryuuzaki began, starting off the plan which Weddy and Aber would follow, "First—"

"…Ryuuzaki," said Watari, a hint of concern in his voice.

Automatically, Ryuuzaki and I turned. "What is it, Watari?" I could see discomfort in his eyes.

With a moment of hesitation, Watari continued. "Matsuda has sent out the distress signal from his belt."

If it weren't for the investigation crew and Ryuuzaki, I could have screamed my ass off. Ryuuzaki had an extremely irritated look as he replied.

"…From where?"

I can bet five hundred bucks (of the monetary kind) that Ryuuzaki had come to the same conclusion as I: Matsuda, the damned idiot, was on the verge of ruining our plan.

When Watari told us the location, my dad exploded.

"Wh-what is he doing?! Matsuda!! If he gets caught..!"

More than slightly disturbed, I stayed calm as I replied to my father and the crew. "No the distress signal probably means that he was already caught…" My voice trailed off.

Aber sighed, a wistful look upon his face. "If that's true then he will probably be killed."

Shock passed through Matsuda's fellow ex-policemen.

Ryuuzaki was extremely irritated as he scratched his head, thinking. "Please forget everything that I have said. We need to rethink our strategy." He stopped scratching as a dark look came over him, which kind of scared me for a few moments. "Matsuda, you idiot."

I can think of many more ways to describe him than just an "idiot." A goddamn idiot, as an example, or perhaps a fucking retard who thinks like he's on crack. Both are suitable synonyms that would do him justice.

* * *

Haha!! An update when you all least expect it! :D I'm so good. Anyway, my sister and brother and dad weren't using the computer, so I saw my chance and seized it for you guys ;D Be glad that you are all addicted to such a dedicated author

I'd like to thank all of you who sent me suggestions; I may be tempted to use them :D

Sora Pwns x3


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve - Trouble with Matsuda

Panic had erupted quite calmly in the investigation room. I was actually pretty calm, trying to think of a way in which we could save ourselves.

"Matsuda is supposed to be keeping an eye on Amane. Does that mean she's there with him in Yotsuba's building?" My father asked, trying to keep his voice level as he paced.

After a couple moments' consideration, I replied. "We can't tell, with Matsuda."

Ryuuzaki, who, before this point, was completely silent, asked my father, "The only things on him when he goes out are the identifications of Taro Matsui, the manager of Amane Misa, correct?"

"Yes, I told him to abide by those rules strictly."

Ryuuzaki handed my father a cell phone. "Yagami-san, please make a call to the mobile of Manager Matsui."

"..Okay..." my father replied.

Where is he getting at? "Ryuuzaki, isn't that kind of risky?" I asked, a bit startled at this decision.

"I'll play my cards right."

I resigned carefully and decided to watch.

As he held the phone to his ear, I wondered how Ryuuzaki would communicate with Matsuda. He wouldn't speak like he normally would, would he...?

With this retarded man, you just can't tell.

Suddenly, said retarded man perked up, putting on a weird face as he spoke. "Yo, Matsui, it's me, Asahi. How ya doin', my man?"

My father and I simply stood there, aghast. Ryuuzaki... using slang? If he was going to do that, he should have just asked me and spared us all this shock.

"Oh, long time no see, Asahi," Matsuda called over the phone.

"Er, are you indoors? You at home?" Ryuuzaki asked.

"Uh-huh."

"You alone, man?"

"Yeah, man... I'm alone, at home. Why?"

Ryuuzaki flipped his nest of hair toward us, covered the mic briefly, and whispered to us: "Matsuda is at Yotsuba's alone, without Misa." After removing his hand from the mic, he spoke again. "Hey, wanna hit the bars tonight?"

The thought of Ryuuzaki at a bar made me smile, but I kept my humor to myself.

"Huh? Bars? I... guess not tonight."

"Why not? Financial situation in a tight spot again?" I heard the imbedded message. I prayed that Matsuda would pick it up too.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "You know about my money better than I do, hahaha.."

After covering the mike again, Ryuuzaki whispered, "Matsuda's in a tight spot. Ah, well, then, maybe next time."

I sighed. Thank god he found it. Now we had to find a way to help him. Our entire plan's on the line, and we automatically fail if he's caught.

"Yagami-kun, could you make a call to Amane-san's cell phone?" Ryuuzaki asked.

Pushing aside the fact that it was the first full sentence he'd said to me (and only me) the entire day, I complied.

"Please leave your message after the the tone. Or, to call..." the operator's mechanic voice called.

I glanced back at the detective. "No good; her phone's off. She must still be shooting." As the beep sounded, I left my message. "Misa, it's me. Call me back as soon as you can. I'll leave my cell on." I hung up.

Meanwhile, my father and Ryuuzaki were determining our next move.

"What are we going to do? Matsuda is on his own at Yotsuba, and, from the way he sounded, there must have been people listening in on the conversation. The situation doesn't look good," my father pressed.

"I guess not. Apparently, it's rather tight. But then, if Matsuda-san _does_ die now, then our suspicions on Yotsuba will be solid."

Shock passed over us like a wave. How could he talk about Matsuda's life like that? Sure, he's a goddamn idiot, but he's still part of our team!

Ryuuzaki continued. "If we try to make our move, they may be alerted. For now, we'll stay on the sidelines and see what happens."

I bowed my head in resignition. "Yes, that seems like our best choice."

Goddamn it, Matsuda...

* * *

I feel good! -na na na na na na na- I knew that I wo-ould! -na na na na na na na!-

Oh yeeeeaah. ;D My sister had this tennis bonfire, and my brother was officially banned for the day, so...

I GOT THE COMP. :D And thus, I took time out of my spring break to write this out for you. Watch out; I may be daring and go for TWO updates today! Hell yeah! xD Maybe I'll update on Death Note: A New Case, but I need to write it out on paper, since the latest chapter is completed, but on the computer in my room (A.K.A. the internet-less one). I might get it up by tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe I'll update every day of the week ;D

But after spring break, I'll probably only update on weekends unless I get my internet back from my dad. :P For now, I've been using previous documents and writing the new chapters on these because I don't want to add extra memory onto this comp. Look out for more ninja-updates ;D

Sora Pwns x3


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 11 (the real one) – Damn It, Matsuda

Chapter 13 –

Shortly after leaving the message on Misa's cell phone, I decided that I was exhausted enough. I didn't want to flop down into a chair; that's extremely unbecoming. Instead, I leveled myself slowly into the nearby chair in front of my computer. There was an instant messaging window on screen:

L: Raito-kun, do you love me?

I nearly toppled over. That's just an awkward thing to type, and risky too, since my father was glancing the other way. I would punch the goddamn detective, but that would be too conspicuous. Instead, I replied.

Raito: What gave you that idea? Ryuuzaki, you're so weird.

Within seconds, the insomniac had a reply.

L: Because I love you, too. How else would you explain the kiss I gave you the other day?

Slowly, controlling my shock, I stood up and closed the window. I avoided showing any other emotions on my face, since it would probably give me away. My cell phone rang, the cheery tone of Carmen's Toreador breaking through the silence, or so I saw the lack of sound. "It's Misa," I said, keeping my voice level as I accepted the call. "Misa? It's me. Is Matsuda-san with you?"

"Huh? Oh… the rotten manager disappeared and left Misa alone at around three o'clock. Misa won't be able to get home without Matsu." I heard a ringtone on the other line. "Oh," Misa continued. "Speak of the devil; it's Matsu calling my business mobile. Hold on a sec."

My face tensed slightly. The pressure of things at the moment was getting to me. Without bothering to cover the microphone as Ryuuzaki had done, I said, "Matsuda-san is calling Misa's business mobile." Heads perked up to look at me.

We waited while an anxious atmosphere settled over like a blanked of snow. Under the façade of being anxious, I was fretting over what Ryuuzaki had told me. "_Because I love you, too._" There was a huge chance that the statement was a lie. For one, why would he love me, aside from the fact that I'm perfect? He thinks I'm Kira (which I'm not, may I point out). L _hates _Kira. If I am Kira (which I'm not), then that means…

He hates me.

I brushed the thoughts aside as Misa's voice came on. "Hear that, Light? Misa might be the next campaign girl for Yotsuba!"

Automatically, I said, "Misa, listen to me. Stay away from Yotsuba. Don't go."

"Huh? Why not? No matter how many fans Misa has, Raito will always be my special…" The damned girl thought I was jealous!

Staying patient, I continued. "Misa, it's not that…"

Next to me, Ryuuzaki said quietly, "Yagami-kun, let's allow Misa-san to go to Yotsuba. She may give us our chance to rescue Matsuda-san." How could he stay so calm after saying something like _that?_ I nodded, regardless. "Misa-san will listen to us if Yagami-kun does the talking," Ryuuzaki explained to no one in particular.

"Can you hold on for a second, Misa?" I asked.

"Sure."

"….What do you say?" I asked the rest of the other members.

As if they had decided without me, they said, "There's no other choice."

"Misa, listen very carefully."

Finally! I finally got my chance to establish the LxRaito! -victory dance-

Yus. :D I'd like to thank all my reviewers and readers. ;D There's one in particular I'd like to thank: Compleatly Random Dissorder. CRD's been supporting me since who-knows-when. (Chainsaw Mafia's just my best friend. By default, she has to. Or else she dies ;D)

I feel really lucky that I have all these readers. This is probably the most successfull story I'll ever write.

I've also started another story. It's a Death Note/Bleach mix. Chainsaw Mafia got hooked after the first few paragraphs, so I'm assuming that it's good. I don't know yet. It's under Bleach, though, and it's after L and Raito are dead. Find it through my profile ;D

Sora Pwns x3


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Saved

"…Got it, Misa? We'll call the agency, deal with the security, and arrange everything else in the meantime. I'm sure this plan will work, with you being as… charming as you are." I hesitated so very slightly at the word; so slightly that only Ryuuzaki noticed. He turned his head so that his dark, opaque eyes were fixed on me.

"Got it! Thank you, Light, for calling me charming." She giggled slightly, and I could tell that she was not embarrassed in the slightest. "I'll do this right for you, Light!" I shivered at the thought of what would happen if she didn't.

After hanging up, I sighed silently, leaning back in my chair. If all goes right, then we'd have no chance for rest.

The plan was this: Misa would invite the Yotsuba eight to her flat, where girls from her agency would welcome them and celebrate with Misa and Matsuda. We waited patiently for the ten people to walk into our surveillance cameras. Most of us stood, watching the screen.

Nine people in suits walked in, one of them Matsuda. Other girls walked in as well; girls from the agency where Misa worked. "Okay there?" Misa asked, smiling. "Drink up!"

Sighing contentedly, some of the men criend, "I'm in heaven!"

"Misa-san's pretty good at this role," Ryuuzaki commented, not taking his eyes off the screens.

Then, Matsuda excused himself to the restroom in a... for lack of a better word, embarrassing way. "Just visiting the lou," he giggled.

Once in the restroom, instead of sitting on the toilet, he took out his phone and dialed a number. Ryuuzaki's phone rang.

Matsuda, who was staring straight at the camera, asked, "Ryuuzaki, are you watching?"

"Yes," was the curt reply.

Matsuda wasted no time in explaining his situation, something that even he could do. "Those eight that we've brought in from Yotsuba were holding a meeting to plan a murder using Kira. I heard the conversation with my own ears. It's them, no doubt about it."

"Are you sure about it…? That's big news if it is true… But if you did hear their conversation, then those eight must be planning to kill you, Matsuda-san."

"Ah… That's… what I thought… Is there any way for me to get out of this alive?" His voice was shaky.

Ryuuzaki had a minute grin on his face. Only I noticed it, but for several plausible reasons. "Luckily, you are still alive, so there is a chance. What you have to do…" I was anticipating this answer partially because I had suggested it. "… is die before you get killed."

A bewildered expression fell on the ex-policeman's face. "Oh… I se…" Obviously a lie.

"Listen carefully," Ryuuzaki continued. "There's an empty street on the west side of the building, and…" He explained his plan carefully to the klutzy man.

With a newfound determination, Matsuda replied, "Yes, okay… I'll try!"

The "manager" walked out of the restroom acting drunk. "Ahh… I feel good…" His words were slurred perfectly, as if he were drunk. "A breath of fresh air…" he said, opening the window to the balcony. He raised his head in triumph. "Ladies and gents, attention please! Welcome to the Taro Matsui show!"

One of the Yotsuba members muttered, "Oh, are you going to entertain us?" and chuckled.

Misa cheered him on, knowing what was to happen. I held in a smile. If only he would be rid of our lives forever.

"Heave, ho!" Matsuda cried as he leapt onto the balcony. He earned startled gasps from his audience.

"Hey, stop! You're drunk!" one cried.

Ignoring all the protests, Matsuda proceeded to stand on the edge. "Here I go…" Easing himself into a handstand, he chuckled. "Heh heh… I'm alright, I do this trick aall the time…"

"Sto-stop it, you idiot! That's dangerous!" they cried as he stood on both hands.

"Shit, he fell!!"

The man "accidentally" tipped himself too far over the street, and fell off. Shock crossed the men's faces, and Misa's, as he "fell." My father caught him with a mattress on the floor below. The ex-policemen sighed with relief.

"Thank god…"

Heads tipped over to gaze into the streets, looking for a sign of a dead body. "Jesus Christ!" someone exclaimed as they saw Matsuda again, on the street in a lifeless position.

Cue Weddy, I said to myself. Sure enough, the woman exclaimed, "Oh no! I thought I heard a thud…" as she whipped out her phone to call 911.

Meanwhile, Ryuuzaki and I waited patiently in a rented ambulance. "Okay, five minutes have passed," I said to Ryuuzaki. I tried not to look towards his direction; in this cramped area our faces were scant inches apart. The detective showed no signs of discomfort.

Ryuuzaki led the way out, bringing forth the collapsible bed. We looked very convincing as we filed out, wheeling the bed to where Matsuda lay. I saw, from the corner of my eye, the eight men huddled together. We were both aware that they were discussing the event.

The detective nibbled on his index finger. "Honestly," he said, a tone of annoyance apparent, "I know that we are short on staff, but this is not my job…" He sighed, the picture of annoyance. "Matsuda, that fool."

Despite our differences, I couldn't agree more.

* * *

Whoo. I got one up after spring break :D I was half-dead the entire day, so be happy I pulled this together for you guys. Don't expect another one pretty soon; I have a heap of junk that I need to get done before I get to update again. Thus, the excessively long update. :D Hope you guys enjoy.

And... reviewer of the week: Chainsaw Mafia, with a whopping 8 reviews in the same hour oO (I won't do this again; I'd just like to mention it since, you know, it's 8 reviews in the same hour!! She just decided to read it last night and decided, "Hey, let's bug Sora by sending her 8 reviews!" Or something like that.) You don't have to review more... but you can :D

Sora Pwns x3


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Aftermath

That night, Ryuuzaki had said that the day's effort was enough, and that I should get some sleep. I lay on the bed, listening to Ryuuzaki's incessant typing. The damn insomniac was still working. As far as I was concerned, that man would someday die from lack of sleep. It is possible, you know. At least, I think so; I _hope_ so. Then, Kira wouldn't get to him. (Oh god, did I really just say that? It sounded so goddamn _cheesy,_ like something in a shojo manga!)

Then, the typing stopped. I didn't bother to act asleep as Ryuuzaki turned to look at me; I knew he knew that I was awake. I stared back into his nearly-lifeless eyes, wondering how I could have fallen for such a strange man. I decided against the action; such pondering may override my daily functions. It was then that he spoke.

"Raito-kun, what is your response?" Goddamn it, I thought he forgot about that!

Hiding my turbulent emotions with skill, I replied with a groan, "Do we have to talk about that?"

Unfazed, the detective continued speaking. "Although I am 85 sure of what Raito-kun's answer is I would rather hear of it from his own mouth. Please, enlighten me."

I chuckled jokingly. "Why would I--" My eyes widened as, in one swift motion, like a swing of his racket, Ryuuzaki set down his laptop and hovered over me, his knees to my sides and his hands tightly grasping my wrists. I frowned slightly as my heart began to beat faster. This wasn't good. I could feel my pants getting slightly (used very subtly here) tighter as Ryuuzaki leaned down. His warm breath was level, the opposite of my strained breathing. "What are you doing?" I managed to say.

"I am retrieving my answer," was the curt reply.

He pressed his lips on my neck, kissing gently. I retained all sounds, although I think one or two may have slipped my grasp. I couldn't handle it anymore.

"Stop, Ryuuzaki!" I croaked. "I… I…" I had planned to lead him on, to give myself a chance to defend myself. However, the detective had seen through my efforts and continued to kiss my neck and jaw. He wasn't going to leave until he got his answer.

"I love you!" I cried. "Please, stop!"

Grinning triumphantly, Ryuuzaki sat up and hopped off of my lap, once again taking possession of his laptop. He snuck another look at me as I pulled the covers over my head, the chain tinkling softly. I grumbled softly about losing.

Ryuuzaki pulled the cover back just a little bit, so I could hear his breathing. Although I was sure he was smiling and that he would laugh his ass off later, he whispered a few words into my ear.

"Good night, Raito-kun."

That night, it had occurred to me just how much I loath (and love) that strange man.

I guess it just can't be helped.

* * *

Ugh... I feel so stupid. I've been switching off on tenses (present, past, future... that stuff.). I really don't feel like an honor student anymore xD But anyway, this is the latest chapter. I've been pretty lazy to reread the DN chapters... I've been reading Full Metal Alchemist! xD I dunno why; I just can't read shojo anymore. It bores me. :S I can only read shonen now, so... xDDD

Yeah. So while I was writing the part that was like, "I knew that he knew that I was awake," I was tempted to go, "I knew that he knew that I knew that he knew that I knew that he knew that I was awake," just for the sake of doing so... Am I an idiot? It was just so goddamn TEMPTING!! D:

Hehe. ;; All righty then; it's about time for me to get back to my FMA-fawning. Don't worry; DN will always be number one. I'll work on this ASAP... after I finish FMA. (What? I need my fair share of shonen manga. I don't want to work forever D:)

Sora Pwns x3


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – The Morning

The next morning, I walked groggily out to the front to retrieve the newspaper, Ryuuzaki trailing reluctantly, despite the fact that I knew he loved me. Aggravated by his refusal to move once at the front door, I yanked on the chain that bound us together.

"Come _on,_ Ryuuzaki," I sighed. "We need to get the newspaper sometime, you know; preferably today?"

Ryuuzaki spared a glance from his laptop to look me in the eye. "Raito-kun," he began, his blank gaze returning to the screen, "It would be beneficial to retrieve the newspaper; however, why not let anyone else do it?"

"I volunteered," I said, glaring.

"Who asked you to volunteer?"

I kicked him gently and took that chance to step out the door and get the newspaper, his arm reaching awkwardly towards the door. I stepped back in, grinning smugly.

"Your chances of Kira just rose by .2," Ryuuzaki pouted.

* * *

I walked into the research area and unceremoniously threw the bundle of a newspaper at Matsuda's head. The ex-policeman caught it after it hit made contact with his skull with a loud thud. He opened the document to the front page.

"Is this it…?" He asked nervously.

I leaned over his shoulder to read the article. Jokingly, I said, "But those eight from Yotsuba will definitely find that article and read it. Hopefully, that should be enough to save your life."

"Hopefully?" He wailed.

Ryuuzaki whispered inadvertently "Plus .8" in a singsong voice. I ignored him. He raised his voice so the entire staff could hear him. "For all Yotsuba is concerned, Matsuda-kun has left this world… Aber, do you want to contact Yotsuba as Misa's new manager?" I could have laughed; Aber as a manager? I could laugh for hours at that and still think it a hilarious suggestion. Aber just didn't seem like a manager-type person, especially for a person like Misa.

Thankfully, he agreed with my silent thought. "No, thanks; I'll make moves in my own way."

Ryuuzaki seemed unmoved. "Fine, then; Mogi-san will be Misa-san's manager." Better, but not perfect. The best manager for a ditz has to be a ditz.

"Matsuda-san's goof somehow turned out a success and gave us a solid base to assume that one of those eight is Kira. From now on, we must proceed with extreme caution."

I grinned. This is exactly how I wanted to live my life: putting criminals in jail to make the world a better place.

Then it occurred to me: Kira's ideals, Kira's objective… It's relatively similar to mine, isn't it? Because really, Ryuuzaki's justice is effective, but not very stable. People can avoid that kind of law, like movie stars, and it provides a bad influence for the rest of the world.

So who was I for? Ryuuzaki, the one I loved, or Kira, the one I agree with?

* * *

Okies; this is the new chapter. How is it? :D I love your reviews, guys, keep them coming! Inflate my (already quite large) ego! xD Just kiddin'. But really, review If you see something that needs to be changed, or a way to improve my writing, don't hesitate! Keep them comin'!

If you like, review. If you hate, review. If you-- Goshdangit, just review! :(

Sora Pwns x3


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

My father sighed, staring at the large screen before us. "If the event Matsuda told us about really did take place, then one of them is Kira, or has a connection with Kira."

"It did happen!" Matsuda protested. "I heard them say 'request to kill!'"

We ignored his protest as my father continued. "Ryuuzaki, if Kira's ability is ssessed by all of those eight, can we still assume that none of them have the ability to kill just by looking at one's face?"

"Well…" Ryuuzaki began. I sighed to myself, knowing the answer to this question already. "If any of them could kill just by looking at faces, then it would be highly unlikely for Matsuda-san to be alive, even after faking his death."

"Huh? Oh, I see… I guess it really was a narrow escape for me…" Dunce.

I ran each of the member's bios over again, checking for any information we could have missed while working. "But we looked into the personal details of those eight and not one suspicious death emerged around them. We presumed they were using Kira's ability to fulfil their self-interests as well as contributing to Yotsuba's development in the hopes of narrowing it down to one or two suspects…"

Ryuuzaki unbecomingly stuffed his mouth with cake as he spoke. "Maybe Kira's power is not to be freely used by individuals?"

I looked at him, catching his train of thought. "Or perhaps they are playing cautiously to avoid giving us clues, in case suspicions arise around Yotsuba."

Ryuuzaki continued to stuff his face, which I found a bit unnerving. "Eight of them have tagged along and are playing together in this. I must say, this Kira must be a blockheaded coward who cannot do anything by himself." I smiled. He just bluntly voiced my own opinion.

"Those eight hold a meeting every Friday, and from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon those people who are in Yotsuba's way tend to die. We need to establish proof of this fact, first."

I didn't even have to look up to recognize Matsuda's stupid opinion. "There's no need, I heard it with my own…"

"'Heard it with my own ears' isn't definite proof," my father objected.

Ryuuzaki ignored the two. "At the moment, Aber is getting close to one of those eight and Weddie is working on breaching the security systems of the Tokyo-office. If things go well on both ends, then something interesting might happen next Friday." I grimaced as he continued to eat ohagi. My grimace deepened as he spit out the paper wrapping he had accidentally slipped into his mouth. Sometimes he's just too much for me.

Shortly afterwards, Watari's voice called. "Ryuuzaki, Aber is on the line for you."

"Connect him," Ryuuzaki said, turning to the screen. The chain clanked, reminding me of how much I'd come to terms with the handcuffs.

"Ryuuzaki, I don't think they trust me completely yet, but I managed to contact one of the ieght as Coil. I'm returning to Japan tomorrow."

A small grin was plastered to the sleep-worn face. "That was quick work as always, Aber."

"Soon they'll be asking me for advice and trying to meet me in person."

Ryuuzaki thought for a moment. "Aber," He said finally. "Showing your face to them is a risky thing to do. Please be careful."

A chuckle was heard. "I'm aware of that. But L, you caved my life not once, but twice." That shocked me. A detective saving a criminal? "And even now, if you bring up the evidence of my swindle, I'll spend the rest of my life behind bars." I see… Ryuuzaki had found his skills valuable from the evidence left and decided to work him to his advantage. "I lead a better life by working for you. I'll do it at the risk of my life. Besides, one of the many reasons I can't stop being a con artist is the thrill of it.

"By the way, I've got five million dollars from Yotsuba already; Can I go ahead and hand them a fake L to get another ten million?" Typical criminal. Money above all.

"Okay," Ryuuzaki sighed. "I'll think of something as well."

"Ha… Using a fake L to get ten million… That's a con, alright…" Matsuda chukled nervously.

"No, it's a part of the investigation," Ryuuzaki argued.

I leaned closer. "Getting close to Yotsuba by pretending to be Coil… Aber is doing pretty wel."

"I didn't like the idea of him using my other identity, but it was a good idea so I refrained from complaining," Ryuuzaki said without turning his head.

"Ryuuzaki, this time it's Weddy," Watari interrupted.

"Connect her."

Ugh. That slut again.

Weddy's voice came over the speakers. "Guess what? Yot'suba's main office has a security system that may be poorer than any other Japanese company's… All they do is tie it up with a security service. All I need to do in order to set up bugs and cameras in that meeting room is to find out the patrol schedule. Nothing to it. No tapware detectors, either."

We all gathered closer as Ryuuzaki spoke. "Can you enter the meeting room again tomorrow night, but this time with professional spyware I asked Watari for, and help him set the bugs and cameras?"

"Okay."

Matsuda looked pumped. "Wow… Everything is going so smoothly… I'm getting excited."

A triumphant grin made its way across my face. "Now, if they hold the meeting on Friday, we might indeed see something interesting unravel, as Ryuuzaki said early."

"Yes." Ryuuzaki confirmed. We met each others' gaze and grinned.

I pushed all doubts aside. This would definitely work, I told myself. We'll definitely catch Kira.

* * *

Yess... Plot progress. Sorry I can't get anything besides story recap; there's not very many gaps at this point in time that I can fill without losing all of you in the process... Plus, it's a way to relive Death Note :D

So yes. You know the drill: review! :D And guess what? This time, there's an incentive! Six reviews means I'll get the next chapter up in a day! And it will be this long, don't worry. (Incentive not guarranteed.)

Sora Pwns x3

Edit: Sorry; jinsane226 just pointed out that I had a few typos ;; (Yes, I was in a hurry to type this up; I had to go to Vietnamese school and all. I usually don't make stupid typos like that; what the heck... :P)


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen – A Break in the Action

The next morning, Ryuuzaki surprised me. We were alone on our floor, long before anyone would arrive.

"Would Raito-kun like to go on a date?" I nearly toppled off the couch, but saved myself and my laptop. I swear I saw a smirk weave itself on Ryuuzaki's face for two seconds.

"E-excuse me?"

"Raito-kun heard me," Ryuuzaki said nonchalantly, continuing his work on the screen. I looked at the clock, neon lights blazing the time.

2:13 A.M.

I glared back at the detective. "Sure, let's go do something at _two in the morning._ Genius, Ryuuzaki, genius." My voice was heavily laced with sarcasm, but had no effect on the insomniac.

"Yes; I was thinking of a nearby restaurant. Would Raito-kun like to come? Seeing as we have established our attraction to each other, I would like to use this break as a chance to utilize our relationship."

I blinked. "Well, yeah, but…"

"Is it a yes or a no?"

Whoa. Quick, snappy answer. That symbolizes forcefulness. I would bet my last dollar (not that I would ever come down to it, anyway) that Ryuuzaki is planning on some way of either ridiculing me or trying to squeeze a confession out of me. I grinned. Whatever it is, I'd like to see this unfold.

"Sure. Where are we going?"

Hands grabbed my waist. In a sudden reflex, my elbow shot back and made contact with someone's stomach. Or, it was supposed to. Instead, a hand caught it. I looked back and saw Watari, who grinned. "Ryuuzaki asked that I do this," he explained briefly before I heard the clack of the handcuffs.

Blindfolds blocked my vision as I heard Ryuuzaki mutter happily, "I want to see this."

When the blindfolds were lifted roughly fifteen minutes later, I was in a large dressing room. Its whereabouts were unclear, as there were no windows, but all the clothes on the racks were dresses. I glared at Watari. "What is this?" I demanded.

"We are going to dress you as a girl," Ryuuzaki said, emerging, clad in a suit that I must say did look very attractive. But one thing caught my eye: his _posture._ For God's sake, he was standing _straight!_ I didn't think he could do that! I measured his height with my eyes and concluded that he was roughly three or four, maybe five inches taller than me.

But then his words registered and my daydream was brutally shattered to pieces. "Me?" I almost shrieked. "As a _girl_? Why?!"

Ryuuzaki grinned, striding gracefully towards me. He lifted my chin with one hand as his face came closer. His breath was warm on my face as he whispered, "The hotel management would think it preposterous that their mysterious, rich guest is gay, wouldn't you? And besides," he breathed, "I would like to see Raito-kun in a dress."

Now I _knew_ he was messing with me, but… I just can't say no to his request.

I "grudgingly" complied.

When the two finished, I was wearing a long, dark red halter-style dress. The fabric was silk-like, and it had an outer veil overlaying it that shone in the light. Watari had put on hair extensions, so my hair now reached down beyond my padded breasts. Ryuuzaki smiled seductively at me as I flushed. If he took pictures, of this, I swear, one day…

I relinquished the thought. I am not Kira, I reminded myself. I will not kill Ryuuzaki.

"So, Raito-kun," Ryuuzaki said, holding his hand out to me. "Shall we leave?"

I gaped. This restaurant was revered for its décor and dishes. Ryuuzaki tugged lightly. "Come, Raito-kun. We have reservations."

I glared at him in wonder. I checked my watch. How does one set reservations to a five star restaurant at 2:25 A.M.? Shouldn't the staff be asleep? I followed him meekly into the double doors.

The place was entirely empty, with only one table, draped with a clean, white tablecloth. Two mahogany chairs stood, inviting someone to sit and eat. There was a bowl of potpourri, of whose purpose was undetermined. A candle was lit, giving the scene a romantic feel. There was a dance floor as well, but I don't think we'll be using it much.

"Welcome, Ryuga-san," the manager said, gliding in from who-knows-where. The man reminded me faintly of a leaf. "I presume this is your date, Yagami Tsukiko-san?" he asked, bowing to me.

I nodded back, the picture of serenitity.

"We will be in the back if you need us," he said before drifting away.

I turned to Ryuuzaki. "We aren't going to be eating?" I asked, slightly puzzled.

Ryuuzaki grinned, pushing me to the wall. "No," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

"Yagami-kun," Ryuuzaki's voice broke through just as, in my dream, we began making out. I blinked twice, then surveyed our surroundings, trying to find the reason for his interruption. That was when I noticed the dress, the bra, and the extension sloppily hidden away in the corner. I returned my gaze to the insomniac (whom I clung to), who tentatively waved a DVD in front of my face. "This," he said, after I realized he was holding it, "has a video recording of everything that we did last night." A triumphant grin was plastered on his face. I doubted that I could remove it, even with a jackhammer.

"Give it to me, Ryuuzaki!" I snarled, reaching for the DVD. However, I hadn't planned on being handcuffed to the bedpost (it had, in fact, been off all night and I had been pondering its whereabouts). As he leaped out of bed, I tumbled (painfully) onto the floor.

I watched in curious horror as the insomniac popped the DVD in. All of a sudden, the restaurant could be seen and we both were drinking heavily. I tried to look away when I met Ryuuzaki's face. My face went hot.

"I think it would be beneficial to Raito-kun if he watched my DVD," he pouted, bringing his thumb to his lips.

Reluctantly, I looked up to see Ryuuzaki sliding (a very drunk) me out of my dress and padded bra.

-- Sorry, readers! The author (who is only thirteen, after all) does not want to write this scene. Please, by all means, imagine this scene yourself! (The author believes herself too young to be writing lemons. SORRY!)--

"Fuck," I whispered, looking away. Now he has _blackmail._ Goddamn it; I'm as good as dead.

* * *

Haha... ;; Sorry about having to omitt that part... yeah. So, as promised, this is your incentive. I just wanted to try that; just to see how many people would fall for it. -shrugs-

And since there's about a five, six day gap between the next meeting, I've decided to let my Raito-hating part of me fly loose. (Hey, you Raito-lovers, at least I haven't gone too far and wrote ways in which my friends and I make fun of Raito... yet. :D) Chainsaw Mafia and I were planning on ridiculous things to make fun of him, and yet, I've grown semi-attached to the _GOSHDANG DEVIL WHO KILLED L. -sniff-_ Sorry. Huge L-lover. I've had a large issue against Light for a while. (Stories are an attempt to somehow gain respect for the idiot.)

So anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Remember: reviews inflate my ego. I have no problem whatsoever with my ego being inflated. Who knows? I may just update faster. (Ego inflation is like a drug. You just can't stop taking it xD) Thanks for reviewing in advance!

Sora Pwns x3


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 – Continuous Ridiculing

Since that night, Ryuuzaki had taken every chance he'd gotten to blackmail me with that stupid DVD. "Raito-kun, do this," he'd say. When I politely replied no, he would lean over to my ear, lick it (which is when I'd flinch for the first time), then whisper, "Would Raito-kun like me to show his father the DVD of that night?" (That being the second time I flinched.)

That _thing_ is inhuman, I swear. That thing is a devil (and I'm not religious, so that's a big deal).

Friday morning dawned, and, as usual, I hadn't an hour of sleep. I stopped complaining; despite the permanent bags that had begun to form under my eyes, it was second nature now. Ryuuzaki and I walked out to the research room, where the meeting room was being broadcast from several angles, including a bird's-eye view of the entire room. I checked the clock: 6:37 A.M. Roughly 10 ½ hours until the next meeting, if the time was still the same.

So we had that much time to burn, eh?

I sighed, leaning back in my chair, not for the first time this week. Ryuuzaki knew without looking (I suppose it was the chains that gave me away) that I leaned back and asked, "Is Raito-kun bored?"

I smiled awkwardly. "I guess, yeah," I said, placing my arms behind my head and crossing my legs. "It's gotten a bit… uneventful lately."

"Aside from the restaurant?" I could have smacked Ryuuzaki right there, but my dad came in, followed by Matsuda.

"Apart from the restaurant," I agreed under my breath.

My father strode in, a grin wide on his face. "We're going to catch Kira today!" Matsuda cried in a sing-song voice.

"Not for another 10 ½ hours," I told Matsuda, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Instantly, he straightened. "Ah- okay, Raito-kun! In 10 ½ hours, we're going to catch Kira in the act!" The airheaded detective saluted military-style.

Not wanting to make Matsuda's cheer any longer, I sat back down next to Ryuuzaki. The man eyed me without turning his head, but I could still see the mischievous glint that would invade his eyes when he had the sudden urge to blackmail me.

"Would Raito-kun like to come with me to eat cake?" Ryuuzaki asked nonchalantly, returning his gaze to the computer screen in front of him.

I was sure, again, that he was up to something. But I couldn't help it; Watari was watching and I couldn't just say "no" because I felt like it. I had to have a good reason or else there'd be… people on me. So of course, I said yes and followed along like a sick, stupid little puppy.

We walked out along the street, Ryuuzaki guiding me As usual, people stared at our handcuffs and, as usual, Ryuuzaki paid no mind. To him, others were as good as stone. I took long strides to catch up to him and demanded in a soft voice, "Is this going to end up with my reputation on the line?"

That stupid man only shrugged.

Ryuuzaki opened the door to a small café that would have escaped my attention had I not been forcefully dragged into it by the cake-loving insomniac. A waitress came up to us as Ryuuzaki asked for a private booth. Wondering what he wanted to say that would escape the ears of the team (for obviously that was the reason why he bothered to drag me out here), I followed anxiously.

We sat down and Ryuuzaki ordered. I politely declined; the sooner I heard his news, the better. He lifted his thumb to his lips in that adorable, L-like way. We merely stayed like that until Ryuuzaki's 4+ pounds of cake arrived. It was after he devoured about half of it that he leaned over the table (we were sitting across from each other) and kissed me.

I froze in shock. The same three words repeated themselves in my head:_ What the hell?!_

He prodded my lips once, twice; slipping his tongue in when I finally thawed enough to realize that he wanted my participation. I could taste the cake in his mouth; his sweet breath was all I inhaled. Then, all too soon, Ryuuzaki broke the kiss. I pouted.

A small smile graced his lips. "It seems as if Raito-kun wants more," he said. I began to nod when he added, "He sure was a little whore that one ni—"

"Shut up," I growled, my eyes narrowing in a harsh glare. I was sure that my face was reddening by the second. "Let's go home," I said, standing up. Ryuuzaki paid the waitress as I stood there, tapping my foot impatiently.

As we left, I heard him chuckle. I grimaced; the prospect of that insomniac laughing at me, even if it was just a chuckle, was already embarrassing enough as it is.

Have I ever mentioned that I hate him?

So yes. That is the new chapter. And please; if you've decided to bear with me until the very end, help me decide how the ending's going to turn out. I've got several ideas, but they're all pretty unique. There's a poll thingie in my bio; I'd really appreciate it if you decided to vote because really: I can't decide. I'm stuck. I really am. T T

ON ANOTHER NOTE, I looked at Death Note's rating on this one sight. It was, as far as I'm concerned, the highest-rating series that was completed! I was sooooo happy; I was like, YES! (But then again, it used to be 10; now it's like, 15; but that's expected of a finished manga.)

And excuse me for a moment (if you don't want to listen to my ranting, I suggest you leave). COME ON, LAKERS!! YOU CAN BEAT TEH GODDAMN SPURS!! COME ON; KOBE! MAKE THIS FREE-THROW AND YOU'RE IN THE LEAD BY TW!! YEA!! FIRST LEAD TONIGHT!!

Okay. Thanks for reading and/or reviewing! (The latter is highly encouraged :D)

Sora Pwns x3


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter warning: Making characters seem smarter than they already are.

-

Chapter 20 – Arson??

That afternoon, seven, not eight, men filed into the room. "We shall commence our regular meeting."

Matsuda scoffed. "Black suits and black ties. They are such a bunch of mafia wannabes."

My brow furrowed. "But only seven of them…. That probably means that they are in mourning."

"So… So one of them has…?" my father stuttered.

"Has probably been killed by the others," Ryuuzaki confirmed.

"Let us discuss, for the brighter future of Yotsuba…" We all held a breath. "…Whom to kill."

My father and I gasped in shock as Matsuda announced, "See?! Just like I told you!"

"However, there are a few things to talk about before we move on. First of all, the death of Hatori…"

"It couldn't be helped," Namikawa interrupted. "To be frank, I was relieved to hear the news of his death."

"You were relieved that your colleague was dead? What's wrong with you, namikawa?!"

The man's voice was calm and smooth as he replied. "It was necessary for Kira to take this action, to show us all what awaits us if we wish to pull out of this group. I had hoped for this to happen from the moment Hatori spoke of his wish to leave, back at Tuesday's special meeting."

After a long silence, everyone agreed.

"I suppose now everyone's got the message; the meaning of Hatori's death. Now, the report from Coil."

Suddenly, Namikawa jerked up, shuddering from something. From the thermometers Ryuuzaki had in the room, I could tell that it wasn't cold. My face grimaced as he took a cigarette lighter. When he didn't take out a cigarette as well and when he lit the tool, I had a horrible feeling of dread. Still shaking, he lit the table on fire.

"Namikawa, what are you doing?!" they all cried. No matter how hard the other six tried to extinguish the flames, Namikawa would only create more.

Soon, the entire place was on fire. All but Namikawa and Higuchi had fled the room, fearing for their lives. The first of the two shuddered and perished of a heart attack, flames licking his lifeless body. Higuchi stood in the middle of the room, cackling with a black notebook tucked under his arm.

"You'll never catch me, L!" he cried as the flames overtook his body.

I looked away in pity. We had found Kira, but there was no way to capture him now, nor his killing technique.

They were dead.

So yes. This is the bridge to the new AU ending. Yes, you rabid L fans (including me :D), your precious L stays alive (for now... hehe. You never know; I may just make him die...). And yes, you rabid Light fans, your precious Light stays alive... I think. You never know; I do hate Light with a passion. :D

Thanks for voting, by the way; for all those who did. I had this kind of ending planned, but I also had the other storyline ending planned... Oh, man; just brainstorming it put me on the verge of tears. -sob-

And amazingly, no! It's not Higuchi and the death note dying in the car crash. And the reason why I put the warning for the "making characters seem smarter than they really are" was for Higuchi. He kills himself and Namikawa because he knows that L is on the case, and he knows that L will capture him: after all, L is smarter. He doesn't realize this in the manga, but for my reasons I say, "Hey! What the hell. Let's not make him a total, spineless idiot that only knows how to kill! Let's give him brains." xD This ending was inspired by the quote, "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." -- Mark Twain xD

Yus. Your AU ending is on the way. :P I still refuse to write lemons, by the way. So would anyone care to volunteer to write lemons for me? (Don't worry; I'll edit if I have to. I hate writing lemons D:)

Sora Pwns x3


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 – End

I leaned back, sighing. This work was bearing no fruit, even a month after Higuchi's death. I rubbed my red eyes, irritated as Ryuuzaki continued to (noisily) devour a cake. I was on the borderline of nighty-night land; I hadn't slept for almost six days straight. Bags were under my eyes, but at this point it didn't really matter anymore. All I was intent on was finding the original Kira. Though the task force (and my father) had already thrown in the towel, and even though L had taken off the handcuffs, I pursued the mass murderer, eager to prove that he was still out there.

But alas, all signs had vanished.

My eyes were closed as all the task force members filed out. I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Peaceful, that is, until Ryuuzaki placed his lips on mine, intruding the space within.

-Err. Uncomfortable scene omitted -

I flopped back onto the bed, tired. I closed my eyes, and for the first time in nearly a week, had a long, undisturbed sleep.

The next time I woke up, I consulted my watch, the hands shimmering dimly in the moonlight. My vision was blurred from sleep and I could barely see the time. _Ugh. 4:15. _I turned over, moaning. _More sleep…_ I clung onto the closest object, and, finding warmth, snuggled closer.

I woke up again to afternoon sunlight. I could hear voices murmuring – or was it shouting? I wasn't very sure – beyond the door in the background. I couldn't make out the words at all; it was just voices and grogginess. I sat up slowly, not wanting a head rush, and then attended to my morning duties (although I was positive I was about three hours late).

I walked into the workroom to find Ryuuzaki and the crew. The detective was, as always, sitting down, calm as ever, as he poked at his cake. My father and his fellow workers, on the other hand, were standing, their body language telling me that they were clearly agitated about something. Upon seeing me, they instantly sat down, seeming to be ashamed.

"What's going on here?" I asked politely.

Ryuuzaki put down his cake and looked at me, his large eyes seeming to be haunting. "I have decided to put the Kira case on a hiatus until the killer makes his next move. I am dismissing your father and his coworkers, but I would like you, Raito-kun, to stay and become my partner." He paused, a little, awkward grin forming on his lips. "Together, we will become invincible."

I blinked, hearing the double meaning that only I could, since only Ryuuzaki and I knew of our… bed business, I shall call it. _Become my boyfriend. We'll be in heaven every night._ I smiled. What a slut. "Of course, Ryuuzaki. It would be an honor to be a partner to such a revered detective."

My father and his coworkers seemed relaxed, satisfied that I was in good hands. He turned to leave. "Well, then, Raito; it seems you've decided your path in life. I guess it's time for your mother and I to step out. Is there any way we can contact you while you're working?"

Ryuuzaki cut in before I could speak. "No. It would be troublesome if an enemy of mine found my location because of your connections to my partner. I apologize; I will allow Raito-kun to have some days off to visit, but I will go with him. If he were to be kidnapped, then that, too, would be a problem. Now, as for the matter of his new alias…"

The next afternoon, my family gave me a hug before I boarded the plane, with L, as Ryuuzaki had nagged to call him when we were alone, and Watari waiting patiently by the entrance.

"Remember to visit us sometime, nii-san!" my sister called to me, on the verge of tears.

"Work hard, Raito," my father said. My mother smiled and nodded silently through her tears.

"I will," I promised as I boarded the plane, glancing at them one more time before leaving.

_End._

* * *

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry , dear readers, that I pulled you through that long hiatus just for the series to end. –dramatic spotlight shines- Alas! All stories must come to an end sometime, and… -sniff- This is it for this story. T T

I might do a sequel, if I have the time and patience…. Of course, it'll have to be after I finish my new series (the full title – it didn't fit on the title thingie – is called Memoirs of a Melancholy Assassin: The Life of Sephiria Arks. It's for one of my favorite characters in my new favorite manga, Black Cat. If you have the time, read it. It's pretty long per chapter, though, so watch out.) and after I come home from Vietnam (yes, another hiatus), which will be on August 12. :P Yes. This lazy writer likes her breaks.

I kind of have a sequel brewing in my head, but if anyone wants to beat me to it, go ahead :D Just, if you do, review one of the chapters and send me the link.

You guys have been awesome, and I'll miss your constant reviews... :D But, alas, this story has reached its (rather temporary) end. :P

Sora Pwns x3


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